Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip

Hip hop

King Tut’s, Glasgow, Wed 12 Sep

Looking a bit like a geography teacher exiting a half-pipe, Scroobius Pip arrives on stage in Glasgow soon after the final whistle in Paris. ‘Four words,’ he calmly offers, ‘Scotland 1 – France 0,’ before adding, ‘this should be the easiest gig of my life!’

The crowd cheers as Dan le Sac, hunched over his laptop, triggers his chunky electro offerings over which Scroobius shall lay down, with clarity and conviction, the delightfully original verse and rhymes of what must be one of the most exciting British rappers around. Le Sac’s rolling beats are interjected with drum stabs and hit-and-run changes in tempo and the sound the duo achieves is unique and immensely satisfying.

‘Thou Shalt Not Kill’, the duo’s essential guide to dodging the cultural potholes of the modern world is lapped up by the savvy crowd. Other highlights are new single ‘The Beat That My Heart Skipped’ and ‘Fixed’, a mutated version of Dizzee Rascal’s ‘Sirens’, ironically lamenting the state of UK hip hop. Whichever genre you place them in, whether electro, hip hop or social poetry, these two are sure to excel. (Richie Meldrum)